The landscape of College Football is built around recruiting, developing, and eventually producing top tier talent to compete at the next level.

In the end the success of any College Football Program starts with their incoming group of freshmen who ultimately shape the next three seasons of the program while helping the program succeed or fail.

As you start to look at the Top 10 NCAA Football Freshman 2023 rankings January list, each of these freshmen are game changers who have the talent to potentially turn into the next wave of top tier NFL draft prospects.

At the top of the group is a strong trio of players who each were well deserving of the top spot on the best freshman college football players list.

Those three players were the North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye, the Ole Miss Rebels running back Quinshon Judkins, and the Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton.

In addition to those three top caliber freshmen, other top 2023 NCAA Freshman Football players include Harold Perkins Jr of the LSU Tigers, Benjamin Morrison of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Tetairoa McMillan of the Arizona Wildcats. Here is a look at the Top 10 NCAA Football Freshman 2023 rankings January

Honorable Mention

Kaytron Allen

School: Penn State Nittany Lions

Position: Running Back

Previous Ranking: #8

Just missing the Top 10 NCAA Football Freshman 2023 rankings January list is the other Penn State Nittany Lions freshman running back Kaytron Allen.

Allen who also shared the backfield with talented freshman Nicholas Singleton formed one of the best one two combinations at the position as any duo in college football.

The freshman running back from Norfolk, Virginia finished the year rushing for 867 yards to go along with 10 rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Allen also added 20 catches for 188 yards with one touchdown reception over the course of the season.

E.J. Warner

School: Temple Owls

Position: Quarterback

Previous Ranking: Unranked

While his name might not be recognized at the beginning of the season it is now as E.J. Warner slowly developed into the team’s starting quarterback this season.

Warner, who is from Phoenix Arizona, finished the year throwing for 3,028 yards with 18 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions.

After failing to reach the 250-yard mark in his first six games, Warner developed rhythm down the stretch topping the 250 mark in four of his next five games including three games with at least 340 yards as well as one game with 527 yards and five touchdown passes.

Top 10 Best Freshman College Football Players

10. Antonio Williams

School: Clemson Tigers

Position: Wide Receiver

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Landing at number 10 on the Top 10 NCAA Football Freshman 2023 rankings January list is the Clemson Tigers standout freshman Antonio Williams.

The Tigers who are known for finding talented wide receivers nearly each year have done it again by landing Williams as their next big time receiving threat.

As a freshman while also having two quarterbacks spend time under center, Williams developed into a reliable threat who posted at least four catches in seven different games. On the year Williams racked up 604 yards receiving on 56 catches including four touchdown receptions.

9. Tanner Koziol

School: Ball State Cardinals

Position: Tight End

Previous Ranking: Unranked

One position that continues to evolve both at the college level as well as within the NFL is the tight end position. As tight ends continue to get bigger, stronger, and faster the responsibilities and opportunities to produce continue to grow.

That will be the case for the Ball State Cardinals freshman tight end Tanner Koziol who has all the physical traits including height (6 foot 7 inches) to be the next game changing tight end. 

Koziol finished the 2022 NCAA Schedule with 35 catches for 373 receiving yards to go along with seven touchdown passes.

8. Dani Dennis-Sutton

School: Penn State Nittany Lions

Position: Defensive End

Previous Ranking: Unranked

The Penn State Nittany Lions defense was as good as any of the top tier defenses among college football. While defensive players often get overlooked the same can be said for young freshman defensive lineman who don’t get the opportunities as many of the proven stars around the game.

One freshman defensive lineman that warrants recognition is the Nittany Lions defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton. Sutton finished the season posting 17 tackles, three sacks, one pass defended, and one interception.

7. Malaki Starks

School: Georgia Bulldogs

Position: Safety

Previous Ranking: #3

One defensive player whose name will continue to be heard around college football over the next two seasons is Malaki Starks who ranks among some of the most talented defensive backs in all of college football.

Starks, who is a key contributor on the top ranked defense in all of college football, should continue to be productive for the Georgia Bulldogs for the years to come.

The Georgia native finished the season racking up 69 tackles to go along with two interceptions and seven passes defended all while anchoring down on a defense that ranked among the best in college football.

6. Tetairoa McMillian

School: Arizona Wildcats

Position: Wide Receiver

Previous Ranking: #5

When you are looking for great wide receivers with huge upside in college football physical metrics such as height, speed, and route running stand out.

One player who meets those criterias is the Arizona Wildcats freshman wide receiver Tetairoa McMillian who ranks among the best freshman wide receivers in football.

McMillian is coming off 39 receptions for 702 yards and eight touchdown receptions in his first season with the Wildcats. More impressively the wide receiver finished ranked 23rd in all of college football while averaging 18 yards per catch.

5. Benjamin Morrison

School: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Position: Cornerback

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Rounding out the Top 5 freshman on the Top 10 NCAA Football Freshman 2023 rankings January list is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish freshman cornerback Benjamin Morrison.

Morrison was an all-around ball hawk this year for the Fighting Irish while finishing 3rd in the country with six interceptions.

In addition to the six interceptions Morrison posted 33 tackles to go along with one interception returned for a touchdown and five passes defended.

His performance as a freshman landed him on the Freshman All-American team while starting nine of the 13 games he played this season.

4. Harold Perkins Jr.

School: LSU Tigers

Position: Linebacker

Previous Ranking: Unranked

As college football continues to see top tier offenses put up 35 plus points a game, top tier defenses around the game must find great pass rushers.

One of those great pass rushers is the freshman Harold Perkins Jr from Cypress, Texas. Perkins blossomed in his first season with the LSU Tigers into a stud linebacker while showcasing his talents against some of the best teams in the country coming from the SEC.

Perkins Jr racked 7.5 sacks as a freshman to go along with three forced fumbles, one interception, four passes defended and 72 total tackles.

3. Nicholas Singleton

School: Penn State Nittany Lions

Position: Running Back

Previous Ranking: #4

Heading into the 2022 NCAA Football season Nicholas Singleton was one of the highest rated freshmen in all of college football as well as on the list of the Top 10 NCAA Football Freshman 2023 rankings January Top 10 NCAA Football Freshman 2023 rankings to start the season. 

Singleton didn’t disappoint finishing the year averaging 6.8 yards per carry while forming a dynamic duo with fellow freshman Kaytron Allen.

Singleton still managed to finish the year with 1,061 yards on the ground to go along with 12 rushing touchdowns and one touchdown reception.

2. Quinshon Judkins

School: Ole Miss Rebels

Position: Running Back

Previous Ranking: #2

One freshman that came out of nowhere and finished as one of the top freshmen in all of College Football is the Ole Miss Rebels running back Quinshon Judkins.

While expectations were set high for Judkins joining the Rebels this season, no one expected the production he delivered as a freshman.

The Alabama native finished the season rushing for 1,567 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns while also adding 5.7 yards per carry. Judkins posted six games with 100 plus yards rushing and two additional games where he added 200 plus rushing yards.

1. Drake Maye

School: North Carolina Tar Heels

Position: Quarterback

Previous Ranking: #1

In at number one is the North Carolina Tar Heels freshman quarterback Drake Maye. Maye’s who emerged this season as the starting quarterback ranked among the best passing quarterbacks in all of college football this season.

His play at the position made him an interesting draft prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft. The Tar Heels quarterback finished ranked 4th in the country in passing yards with 4,321 and 5th in passing touchdowns with 38 while only throwing seven interceptions on 517 passing attempts.

How would you rank these College Football Freshman in the 2022-2023 BCS season? Rank below to be added in the NCAA Power Rankings? 

Related Links:

• Top 10 College Football Team Rankings 2022-2023
• Top 10 College Football Player Rankings 2022-2023
• Top 10 College Freshman Football Players 2022-2023 Rankings
• Top 10 College Football Quarterbacks 2022-2023 Rankings
• Top 10 College Football Running Backs 2022-2023 Rankings
• Top 10 College Football Tight Ends 2022-2023 Rankings
• Top 10 College Football Offensive Tackles 2022-2023 Rankings
• Top 10 College Football Offensive Guards 2022-2023 Rankings